57 THE EASTER RABBIT

I

Once upon a time, many years ago, the winter had been long and cold.

“What makes Spring so late? ”said all the little children. “Let us go to the woods and see if she has come yet.”

But when they got there they found the woods bare and cold. There were no birds or flowers, anywhere, and only Jack Frost and North Wind were playing among the trees.

Poor children! They went back to their homes with sad hearts and faces.

At last Spring came. When Jack Frost and North Wind saw her, they waved good-bye and ran away.

Soon the birds were building their nests, the flowers were peeping up out of the ground, and the tree buds were bursting.

But the children—where were they?

“Why don't the children come to the woods? ”said Spring,“Last year and every other year they came to play with the birds and the flowers and the animals.”

“It is lonely without them, ”said the birds, “They will not hear our beautiful songs.”

“If they do not come soon, ”said the flowers, “our blossoms will all be gone.”

All the baby rabbits and squirrels and foxes said, “We want to see the children. We want to hide in our holes and peep out at them as they pass.”

“Perhaps they do not know we are here, ”said Spring, “Robin, will you tell them? ”

“I am too busy building a nest for my little ones, ”said the robin, “Send the fox. His little ones are already here.”

“Will you go, Red Fox? ”said Spring.

“I dare not go, ”said the fox, “The people will think I have come to steal the chickens.”

“That is true, ”said Spring, “We cannot send you. Black Bear, will you go? ”

“I am so big and I look so fierce, ”said the bear, “that I would frighten the children. Besides, I am so thin and hungry after sleeping all winter that I must eat and eat and eat all day long. Ask the rabbit to go. Children all love rabbits.”

Now, the rabbit is very timid, but he felt so proud to hear that all the children loved him, that he said he would go. Then he thought of the dogs. “Oh! but the dogs! ”he said, “The dogs will catch me.”

“You can go at night, when all the dogs are asleep.”said Spring. “So I can, ”said the rabbit, “I will go tonight.”

II

So they made a big basket of twigs and leaves, and lined it with soft green grass. Then each bird brought an egg from her nest, until the basket was nearly full.

There were blue eggs, and speckled eggs, and brown eggs. How pretty they looked! Then they covered the eggs over with early spring flowers, and tied the basket on bunny's back.

When evening came, the rabbit set off for the town, hippityhop, hippity-hop. How strange and quiet it was in the town when everyone was asleep.

Bunny went to the first house where a child lived. He made a little nest of the soft green grass, and put into it one pretty egg and one spring flower.

He put the nest on the door step, and hopped on to the next house, and the next, and the next. When the sun came up, he hopped back to the woods, a happy bunny.

“Why, Spring is here! Spring is here! ”said the children when they saw the pretty nests on their door steps next morning. “We were afraid that she was not coming this year. But, see, here are the tracks of a rabbit's feet. He must have brought us the message.”

So off they ran to the woods, crying with happy voices,“Hurrah for bunny! Hurrah for bunny! For Spring is here at last, and bunny has come to tell us! ”

(Old Tale)

Word list

blossoms: the beginnings of flowers

timid: shy, scared

bunny: rabbit

You Practice

A) Answer the following questions.

1) Why did the children go to the woods?

2) When spring came, why did the children not go to the woods?

3) Why would the robin not go tell the children?

4) Which animal finally agreed to tell the children that spring was here?

5) Why did the animals make a big basket of twigs and leaves?

B) Animals—There are many animals in this story. There is a rabbit, bird, squirrel, fox, bear, and dog. Think of an animal you would like to know more about. Find some information about your animal in the library or on the internet.

Animal:

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Description of animal:

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Where does the animal live?

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What does it eat?

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How many babies or eggs does your animal have at one time?

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What are your animal's enemies?

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What are some other interesting things about your animal?

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C) Rhyming—Find words in the story that rhyme with these words.

1) hair: b _ _ _

2) stay: a _ _ _

3) box: f _ _

4) match: c _ _ _ _

5) best: n _ _ _